Schizophonic is not impressed [sad face]

Schizophonic · 4 Feb 2011 at 19:17

Main aim was to get my HTPC stream fullHD or 720 mkv files effortlessly off my NAS drive.

Brought a new DGN2200 and enabled that with Wireless N along side my D-Link Wireless N Adapter. Confirmed my HTPC was picking up 300Mpbs off my wireless.

All good to go.

On my HTPC, navigated onto my NAS drive

NAS drive > Gigabyte Switch > DGN2200 > D-Link Wiress N Adapter

and it lagged and stuttered when playing a 1080 mkv

Poooo

mrk · 4 Feb 2011 at 20:15

Wireless USB adapters will use the host CPU the majority of the time to offload tasks, this may well be causing the problem here.

What spec is the HTPC and what mediaplayer are you using? I would suggest trying to offload video decoding to the GPU if it is compatible, use Media Player Classic Home Cinema from here:

http://www.xvidvideo.ru/media-player-classic-home-cinema-x86-x64/ (32bit) and play the same video, it should say DXVA on the bottom left meaning decoding is done by the GPU so CPU cycles are not hogged.

Schizophonic · 4 Feb 2011 at 23:38

Khaaan! said:
Wireless USB adapters will use the host CPU the majority of the time to offload tasks, this may well be causing the problem here.

What spec is the HTPC and what mediaplayer are you using? I would suggest trying to offload video decoding to the GPU if it is compatible, use Media Player Classic Home Cinema from here:

http://www.xvidvideo.ru/media-player-classic-home-cinema-x86-x64/ (32bit) and play the same video, it should say DXVA on the bottom left meaning decoding is done by the GPU so CPU cycles are not hogged.

While I appreciate your response, I think I made a bit of a boopoo. I'm using a PCI Wireless N Adapter card. (D-Link RangeBooster DWA547 Wireless-N PCI Network Adapter)

Same response still?

mrk · 4 Feb 2011 at 23:40

Hmmm maybe not!

Schizophonic · 4 Feb 2011 at 23:50

I should have read a few more articles if Wireless N is capable of streaming FullHD content mkvs. Looks like the technology is not ready yet. Might be to continue storing the content locally

Nexy · 5 Feb 2011 at 01:36

Have you tried doing it using an ethernet cable and if that works, try AV Homeplug? I don't know if it'll give you the bandwidth required, but it's a cheap fix if it does!

Schizophonic · 5 Feb 2011 at 11:44

Nexy said:
Have you tried doing it using an ethernet cable and if that works, try AV Homeplug? I don't know if it'll give you the bandwidth required, but it's a cheap fix if it does!

Even Max speed of the quickest homeplugs are 200Mpbs and wireless N is 300Mpbs so its already going to be slower.

wij · 5 Feb 2011 at 12:13

What is the bitrate of the content you're actually sending to the HTPC?

My MacMini will handle 1080 MKV files at about 35Mbit/sec without any issues over 11n @ 5GHz (built in wifi in the Mini and a Meraki MR14 AP).

At 2.4GHz its another story though, too much local RF pollution from my upteen neighbours to make it work well, so depending on the sort of area you live in that may be an issue to consider.

As your DGN2200 is 2.4Ghz only AFAIK you might do well to have a look at what channel it is running on, grab something like wifi stumbler for your HTPC and have a look at what channels are in use in the local area and chose from 1,6,11 one that isn't in much use.

The AP will likely be set to automatically do this but IME cheap kit sucks at any sort of automatic RF configuration and you're 9/10 times better off fixing it to something known to be free.

I'd give the powerline kit a shot, ignore the above comments regarding quoted speeds as they mean naff all in the real world, a pair of 200Mbit rated Homeplugs will likely perform better on reasonably mains wiring than any cheap consumer wifi kit I've come across especially when its operating at 2.4Ghz and in an area with a lot of other networks.

Alternatively bin the DGN and get an AP that is dual radio (DLink DIR-855 for example) and run your wifi at 5Ghz where there are less likely to be other devices cluttering up the airspace (you'd also need a 5Ghz capable card for your HTPC).

3dcandy · 5 Feb 2011 at 13:05

yeah I'd agree with the above, in my area there are 20+ wifi networks in range, and wifi really struggles as a result. I'm pretty sure you'd get better results with powerline or the move to 5ghz. Even when there was only 3 or 4 wifi networks the speed dropped tremendously...

Schizophonic · 6 Feb 2011 at 02:31

wij said:
What is the bitrate of the content you're actually sending to the HTPC?

My MacMini will handle 1080 MKV files at about 35Mbit/sec without any issues over 11n @ 5GHz (built in wifi in the Mini and a Meraki MR14 AP).

At 2.4GHz its another story though, too much local RF pollution from my upteen neighbours to make it work well, so depending on the sort of area you live in that may be an issue to consider.

As your DGN2200 is 2.4Ghz only AFAIK you might do well to have a look at what channel it is running on, grab something like wifi stumbler for your HTPC and have a look at what channels are in use in the local area and chose from 1,6,11 one that isn't in much use.

The AP will likely be set to automatically do this but IME cheap kit sucks at any sort of automatic RF configuration and you're 9/10 times better off fixing it to something known to be free.

I'd give the powerline kit a shot, ignore the above comments regarding quoted speeds as they mean naff all in the real world, a pair of 200Mbit rated Homeplugs will likely perform better on reasonably mains wiring than any cheap consumer wifi kit I've come across especially when its operating at 2.4Ghz and in an area with a lot of other networks.

Alternatively bin the DGN and get an AP that is dual radio (DLink DIR-855 for example) and run your wifi at 5Ghz where there are less likely to be other devices cluttering up the airspace (you'd also need a 5Ghz capable card for your HTPC).

Will have to look tomorrw at what the bitrate it, just on my laptop in bed now. On my D-link utility, it does show the other channels in which my other local wifi is on. Switched it over to channel 2 and nothing else is using that AFAIK.

I dont want to go into those 5Ghz as the dual band routers are expensive and wanted to see if my DGN2200 would handle the HD content.

Schizophonic · 6 Feb 2011 at 02:39

Checked with Wifi Stunble and I'm the only one with CHannel 2 in my area. There are a few 1's, a few 6 and one 11. Should I change it to a different number or should my results be the same.

Also just checked on the video.

asim18 · 6 Feb 2011 at 03:28

WiFi is a bitch. Even on a 802.11G connection my mum only gets 26Mb/s actual throughput, which is crap.

The thing is WiFi is just way too unpredictable. There's just way too many manufacturers making crap WiFi NICs/APs.

If you want to have a guaranteed rock solid connection you need to use Ethernet. Sure it's fine for browsing, but high bandwidth sustained transfers, no.

wij · 6 Feb 2011 at 11:31

Schizophonic said:
Will have to look tomorrw at what the bitrate it, just on my laptop in bed now. On my D-link utility, it does show the other channels in which my other local wifi is on. Switched it over to channel 2 and nothing else is using that AFAIK.

I dont want to go into those 5Ghz as the dual band routers are expensive and wanted to see if my DGN2200 would handle the HD content.

Good kit costs money, get used to it. If you want to do this via WiFi then you really want to be looking at doing it at 5Ghz.

Schizophonic said:
Checked with Wifi Stunble and I'm the only one with CHannel 2 in my area. There are a few 1's, a few 6 and one 11. Should I change it to a different number or should my results be the same.

Also just checked on the video.

Well 1, 6 and 11 are the non-overlapping channels, so using Chan2 is a waste of time and TBH will actually just be causing issues for other people. If Chan 11 is the least utilised then I'd move to that.

Near enough 40Mbit/sec is pretty high bit-rate, I would be cautious about even recommending powerline kit for that as the pair I have here only deliver about 55-60Mbit/sec and I have a very modern house with good wiring.

asim18 said:
WiFi is a bitch. Even on a 802.11G connection my mum only gets 26Mb/s actual throughput, which is crap.

The thing is WiFi is just way too unpredictable. There's just way too many manufacturers making crap WiFi NICs/APs.

If you want to have a guaranteed rock solid connection you need to use Ethernet. Sure it's fine for browsing, but high bandwidth sustained transfers, no.

Again, people totally misunderstand how speeds are quoted for WiFi links, they often will quote the PHY rate which you're never going to achieve. Id say for a 54Mbps link (11G) getting 26Mbit/sec throughput is pretty good and about as much as you can expect from it.

WiFi is not unpredictable if you take your time to a) do some site surveying and b) use channels / spectrum that is least congested in your area.

I get around 85-100Mbit/sec sustained throughput from my MacMini to my AP at 5Ghz dropping to almost half that at 2.4Ghz.

I do agree though, given the bitrates involved and his unwillingness to spend money on kit to move to 5Ghz the OP should probably just look at running a cable and connecting that way.

wij · 6 Feb 2011 at 11:38

Only negotiating a PHY rate of 150Mbit/sec for some reason but that is the sort of performance I can easily get out of 5Ghz kit.

Schizophonic · 27 Mar 2011 at 21:54

sorry to revised this thread, but how did Wij get access to that part of Wifi Stumbler? Can't find anything online.

BloodyL · 27 Mar 2011 at 22:22

That's not Wifi Stumbler, it's the webGUI for his wireless AP.